Kids Fishing Tournament enjoys success

Jun 30, 2011 2 min read

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BOB PETCHER Austin Boyce fishes with dad, Jason, on the docks at Bonita Bill’s Waterfront Café.

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BOB PETCHER Emma Boyce casts a line with her father, Dennis, at the annual fishing tournament.

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BOB PETCHER Madison Eberhard shows a recently caught catfish with her Uncle Steve.

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BOB PETCHER Ten-year-old Cierra Douglas checked this young snapper at the weigh station inside Bonita Bill’s.

The 2011 annual 4th of July Kids Fishing Tournament with a catch-and-release format at the docks of Bonita Bill’s Waterfront Café was a great success with 69 children registered to fish. Fishing, Food and Fun was the theme of the day. With the generous support of the Fort Myers Beach community each child received a fishing pole, large net or tackle box of their choice as well as a bait bucket and other prizes and trophies. It was topped off by lunch and a water gun fight by kids and adults alike.

1. Trophy Winners

The First Fish Caught in the tournament — Olivia Jones, age 9; fish was7-inches long and weighing 3 ounces.

Placings

– 1. Heaviest Fish — Nicky Gunn, age 6; fish weighed 1 pound, 9 oz.

– 2. Heaviest fish — Kayla Oliver, age 13; fish weighing 1 pound, 1 oz.

– 3. Heaviest fish — Karson Greaves, age 14; fish weighing 15 oz.

– 1. Longest Fish (tie) — Alexandrea Schimanski, age 7; Adam Hester age 9; fish 15 inches long

– 2. Longest fish — Kris Ralston, age 4; fish 14 ½ inches long

– 3. Longest fish — Paul Sande,r age 3; fish 14 inches long

– 1. Most Fish — Jason Sams, age 8; 19 fish caught

– 2. Most Fish — Collin Miller, age 14;14 fish caught

– 3. Most Fish (tie) — Allan Oliver, age 9; and Cierra Douglas, age 10; with 10 fish caught

The Fort Myers Beach Community was very generous again this year. Sponsors included but weren’t limited to Semmer Electric, Inc.; Ostego Bay Foundation Marine Science Center; Bonita Bill’s Waterfront Café; Sanibel Seafood; Fisherman’s World; Pete’s Time Out; Bean Whitaker; Lutz & Kareh, Inc.; Smoking Oyster Brewery; Silver Sands Cottages; Ciscos; and many many more.

Thank you Fort Myers Beach for helping make wonderful memories our children will talk about for many years to come.

–submitted by Joanne Semmer